While the invention is subject to a wide range of applications, it is especially suited for use in conjunction with a vehicle braking system and will be particularly described in that connection.
The automobile accidents each year costs many lives as well as a huge member of injuries with either permanent or short-term disability. A secondary consideration is the huge financial loss due to these accidents.
Very often, accidents could be prevented with an improvement in the braking system. Whether drum or disc brakes are used, the weak link in the braking scheme is the ultimate dependence on the tire road interface. Recently, progress has been made with the introduction of nonskid, computerized braking which can give up to 85% of the friction force of dry pavement on a wet day. However, a surface covered with wet ice, or dry sand provides considerably less friction force for stopping.
The stopping distance of a car is inversely proportional to the braking force. For example, a 0.2G braking (wet or icy surface) allows a car to stop after approximately 600 feet. In comparison, a 2G braking force permits the car to stop in approximately 60 feet. In general, under wet and/or icy conditions, a 0.2G braking force is generally provided and therefore the car stops after quite some distance.
In many potential accidents, distances of hundreds of feet before the collision exist when the possible collision is first perceived or able to be perceived. Thus, if a supplemental system could supply an extra amount of braking such as for example, 1.5G, the possibility to avoid accidents would be enormously increased. In the past, several emergency braking systems have been provided to quickly slow down a car.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,319,297 to Cieri discloses an emergency brake for vehicles which are adapted to contact the road for preventing skidding. The invention includes a claw shaped member which engages the road surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,293 provides for example, "an emergency braking pad which can substantially instantaneously be lowered to the road and be held against the road surface by atmospheric pressure for decelerating the vehicle without altering the other normal pressures on the vehicle."
It is an object of the present invention to provide an emergency braking system which brakes a vehicle independent of the tire-road interface.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an emergency braking system where the braking force can be controlled.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an emergency braking system which can be used independent of a primary braking system on a vehicle.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide an emergency braking system which can be quickely and easily activated.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an emergency braking system which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.